Buggy (First Tiberium War)
The Buggy (or Nod Buggy) is a Nod light vehicle in Tiberian Dawn. The M34 light patrol vehicle (LPV), more commingly known as the Buggy, is the Brotherhood's vehicle of choice for short-range recon and anti-infantry attacks. They can be armed with a range of light weapons, but are generally equipped with light machine guns and grenade launchers. The machine that is Nod's light vehicle of choice is basically a salvaged wreck that has been heavily-modified and optimized for military service. Its construction is incredibly simple: Durasteel tubing provides an open rollcage cabin that is both very light and strong, and chromium steel-alloy provides a rust-resistant chassis. Its all-wheel drivetrain allows it race across rough terrain, and its hydraulic-spring shocks can absorb an amazing amount of punishment. Its tires are made of duraflex rubber grooved with deep tread and provide excellent traction on all but the smoothest surfaces. Mounts for light weapons are placed for easy access to the front and rear gunners. Its powerplant of a small but powerful 1800cc KLP-54 V12, direct-injected and turbocharged, capable of delivering up to 850 horsepower and enough torque to tow a small howitzer. It can execute extremely tight 6-gee turns. Despite the facts that it's virtually unarmored, the crew is exposed to incoming fire from all sides, and its weight class restricts its weapons to small arms, light machine guns and grenade launchers, the Buggy is nonetheless an extremely useful tool in Nod's arsenal. Often regarded as little more than an armed cage, the Buggy deserves more credit than it's given. It can take on a variety of roles and use its superior agility and impressive speed to "bug out" of difficult situations. Its tasks can include any of the following: Anti-infantry, patrol, escort, and short-range reconnaissance. GDI forces disdain the Buggy, calling it an "impractical, vulnerable machine" and consider it to be cannon fodder. However, they fail to realize that the open-frame construction allows for enemy fire to pass through while inflicting minimal damage to the vehicle itself; the worst damage would be the loss of a crew member. In regards to its multirole function, the Buggy is an extremely flexible piece of machinery. Its assorted weaponry can mow or blow infantry, and it has sufficient weight to crush unarmored infantry. Maneuverability is absolutely necessary for the survival of the vehicle and its crew. Virtually no armor and an open frame make any occupants extremely vulnerable to outside attack. Short of explosive ammunition, its weapons lack the power to sifficiently damage other vehicles. Heavily-armored vehicles, such as tanks, are unaffected by its weapons. In the early months of the First Tiberium War, the forces of Nod were having a difficult time with those of the GDI. Their inferior technology was being blasted apart, and most of their vehicles were too light to inflict any significant damage. The Buggy in particular was among the most common losses. During the First Tiberium War, the Buggy suffered terribly at the hands of GDI's technologically superior forces due to inappropriate and reckless use by inexperienced crews. But as the war dragged on, the little vehicle gained notoriety as an efficient anti-infantry platform, and by 2021 was expanded into a family to include a whole range of weight classes and weapon types. It still retained the same basic construction, but with stronger materials and more powerful engines it could now contend with some of the GDI's lighter vehicles. As technology comtinued to evolve, the Buggy kept pace. Before long, its offensive capabilities included laser capacitors and EMP generators, which forced GDI to take the rugged little machine much more seriously. It was clearer than ever that the Buggy had been given some new teeth.